Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey loath about RB Maurice Jones-Drew deal issue – NFL News
The Jacksonville Jaguars have again sounded to be firm and positive about their denial of a fresh contract to running back Maurice Jones-Drew, as the player remains on a holdout in spite of the sword of $30,000 fine for each day skip of training camp hanging
over his head.
Maurice has got two years to service on his previous contract. The Jags are insisting he should honour the agreement first before expecting an extension from them. The player, however, is determined to win an extension, saying he is underpaid, a point that
many commentators agree with.
As of the latest, Jaguars’ first-year head coach Mike Mularkey, who has not met the player yet, says he is not bothered about the player’s deal matter. He in one of his earlier remarks said he expects the RB to be at training camp.
Mike said:
"I don't drive home or sit in my office worrying about it. I don't waste the energy. I don't know him at all.”
The coach arrived in Jacksonville in January this year when the team had already moved into the offseason phase, and since Maurice has skipped the entire offseason programme, a meeting between the official and the player has not yet taken place.
He had been insisting for return of the player to action all along and now apparently has become frustrated over the continued rebellious attitude adopted by the player.
Mularkey’s remarks are in line with the comments given by general manager Gene Smith a couple of months ago, who for the first time confirmed the Jaguars would not give a fresh contract to the RB.
The league has seen holdouts from some other players in protest of their compelling deal requests but all those matters seem to have come to solutions. For example, the Baltimore Ravens have signed Ray Rice. The Jaguars themselves have given an extension
to kicker Josh Scobee.
Jones-Drew’s deal issue is the toughest one, seems to be heading nowhere near a solution. The problem is that both stakeholders have shown to be less flexible on their parts. A breakthrough can only be achieved through initiation of contacts, which does
not look to be a possibility at the moment.
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